Why am I getting a much darker image with TMT3 and MPC-HC while playing Blu-ray's on a PC than on my 2 stand-alone BD Players? Also the stand-alones gives a nice "glow" to the pictures and increases picture clarity, but the software players dim the picture clarity.

Why am I getting a much darker image with TMT3 and MPC-HC while playing Blu-ray's on a PC than on my 2 stand-alone BD Players? Also the stand-alones gives a nice "glow" to the pictures and increases picture clarity, but the software players dim the picture clarity.

I'm using a new Toshiba laptop with AMD graphic card.

1. Are you using the same display?

2. Windows has a lot of color settings (type "color" into the start menu search), and the BD software usually has its own settings, as well as your video card software. It is just a matter of finding what setting(s) are active, and adjusting them to your needs.

I think most people here will agree that a finely tuned HTPC will have better picture quality than most stand-alones. It is just a matter of finding those settings and tweaking them

1. I'm using same display only for looking at screenshots. Actually I don't care how correct the colors look at the PC screen, since I mainly use my stand-alone players. But if I connect my laptop to my DVE calibrated Sony LCD TV, the colors are way too dark in BD screenshots/playback.

2. I wan't to take screenshots with my laptop and see them match the stills from my stand-alone player. I've tried to adjust color brightness settings in TMT3, but not sure how to do this with MPC-HC. I thought that you could watch the Blu-ray without any settings whatsoever to brigtness, color etc?

1. I'm using same display only for looking at screenshots. Actually I don't care how correct the colors look at the PC screen, since I mainly use my stand-alone players. But if I connect my laptop to my DVE calibrated Sony LCD TV, the colors are way too dark in BD screenshots/playback.

2. I wan't to take screenshots with my laptop and see them match the stills from my stand-alone player. I've tried to adjust color brightness settings in TMT3, but not sure how to do this with MPC-HC. I thought that you could watch the Blu-ray without any settings whatsoever to brigtness, color etc?

Ok, so you are looking to have close-to-identical picture quality on your laptop as you do with your stand-alones on your TV.

Being able to watch a blu-ray on a PC out of the box shouldn't be a problem, but things still need to be optimized for better viewing. It being a laptop throws another kink into the mix since laptops tend to have power saving settings that adjust screen settings based on battery level and whether you are plugged into power or not. Then there is the brightness settings on the display and also the ones I mentioned on your Windows machine and in the AMD software.

Sadly, I have no experience using TMT3 or MPC-HC, but I have used J River and PowerDVD and have had no real problems with either after adjusting the appropriate settings. I wouldn't expect that the software you are running would be too different since they are widely accepted applications as well.

Also, one last thing. Some laptop screens can be really glossy and reflective and this can make your viewing even worse when in lighted areas that can cast glares. Give it a go in a dim to dark room just to see what its like.

So here is a checklist for you. Some things you might have already done:
1. Check brightness of your laptop display and how it is affected in Power Settings

2. Check color settings for Windows 7 (has its own manual calibration methods that you can use as well)

3. Check your AMD video card software. If there is a checkbox under color settings to use default or grant the application control, select it

4. Check your BD playback software

Note: Keep in mind during all this that brightness and contrast go hand in hand, and you usually will end up having to tweak them both back-and-forth before getting the picture you want.

Earlier today I found a link of the subject on Toms Hardware, will try to adjust the AMD GPU settings for HQV settings. But reading on this and other forums, it seems very individual what are the best way to make video settings. When I tried to make color settings I got it too dark or too bright.

I think my laptop should not change the settings due to power save mode, because while I'm not using the battery, I have it always connected to the mains power.

Maby this problem might be something about the way the PC outputs the video? Maby the software players are mainly made for using on PC monitors that are much brighter than TV's?

Earlier today I found a link of the subject on Toms Hardware, will try to adjust the AMD GPU settings for HQV settings. But reading on this and other forums, it seems very individual what are the best way to make video settings. When I tried to make color settings I got it too dark or too bright.

I think my laptop should not change the settings due to power save mode, because while I'm not using the battery, I have it always connected to the mains power.

Maby this problem might be something about the way the PC outputs the video? Maby the software players are mainly made for using on PC monitors that are much brighter than TV's?

Sadly, it is really hard to say when it comes to computers. I remember it taking me awhile to figure out why mine was too dark (projector set up) and I *believe* I set all settings to default, or let application control color settings, and that finally did the trick. But I had 3 different brightness and contrast setting on the machine alone, not counting the actual projector. I have faith that you will get it right, its just a matter of where those settings are.

I had this problem myself. My HTPC has an AMD video card connected through a receiver to a LCD TV. I found two settings in the Catalyst control panel that affect the dynamic range (too light/dark) of all videos, including Blu-ray. The first is Pixel Format. YCbCr is how Blu-rays are encoded, RGB is what computers normally use and has a higher dynamic range than YCbCr. If you set it to RGB, the dynamic range of Blu-rays will be expanded, i.e. the dark parts will be too dark and the bright parts will be too bright. However, you can compensate for this... Under Color>Advanced Video Color, you can check Dynamic Range and set it to limited. This will make Blu-rays look right under RGB pixel format.